Trump Jr. emails suggest he welcomed Russian help against Clinton

[webfact]

Trump Jr. emails suggest he welcomed Russian help against Clinton

By Andy Sullivan and Arshad Mohammed

 

FILE PHOTO: Donald Trump Jr. stands onstage with his father Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump after Trump's debate against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, U.S. September 26, 2016. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's eldest son eagerly agreed last year to meet a woman he was told was a Russian government lawyer who might have damaging information about Democratic White House rival Hillary Clinton as part of Moscow's official support for his father, according to emails released on Tuesday.

 

The emails, released by Donald Trump Jr., are the most concrete evidence yet that Trump presidential campaign officials welcomed Russian help to win the White House, a subject that has cast a cloud over Trump's presidency and spurred investigations by the Justice Department and Congress.

 

The messages show that the younger Trump welcomed the prospect of "very high level and sensitive information" from a Russian attorney that a go-between described as "part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump" ahead of a meeting on June 9, 2016.

 

"If it's what you say I love it," Trump Jr. responded. He released the messages on Twitter after the New York Times said it planned to write about them. (http://bit.ly/2uapeCK and http://bit.ly/2ua9hwg)

 

The messages indicate that Trump's campaign manager at the time, Paul Manafort, and son-in-law Jared Kushner, now a top White House adviser, also planned to attend the meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who denies having Kremlin ties.

 

Trump Jr. said Veselnitskaya did not provide any damaging information about Clinton at the meeting and instead sought to discuss Russian sanctions.

 

Nevertheless, the correspondence between Trump Jr. and Rob Goldstone, a publicist who arranged the meeting, could provide fodder for U.S. investigators probing whether Trump's campaign colluded with the Kremlin.

 

"The Crown prosecutor of Russia ... offered to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father," Goldstone wrote Trump Jr. on June 3. Russia does not have a "crown prosecutor;" the equivalent title is prosecutor general.

 

U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Moscow sought to help Trump win the election in part by releasing private emails from Democratic Party officials.

 

"The conversation will now turn to whether President Trump was personally involved or not. But the question of the campaign’s involvement appears settled now," Cornell Law School professor Jens David Ohlin said in an interview. "The answer is yes."

 

Moscow has denied any interference, and Trump says his campaign did not collude with Russia.

 

FINANCIAL MARKETS JOLTED

 

The news jarred financial markets as investors worried it presented a fresh distraction from the administration’s economic agenda. Stocks and the dollar fell, while U.S. Treasury securities gained ground. Stocks later retraced most of their losses after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pledged to keep lawmakers in Washington longer than scheduled to push through a healthcare reform bill.

 

Along with his younger brother Eric, Trump Jr. oversees the Trump Organization, his father's real-estate and business empire, and does not have a formal role in the White House.

 

The emails do not appear to provide evidence of illegal activity, but legal experts say Trump Jr. could run into trouble if investigators find he aided a criminal action, such as hacking into Democratic computer networks, or violated campaign-finance laws by accepting gifts from foreign entities.

 

He is likely to face scrutiny from both congressional committees that are investigating the matter.

 

The Senate Intelligence Committee plans to call on him to testify and to provide documents, according to a Senate source, while the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee wants to interview him and everybody else involved in the meeting, said the panel's top Democrat, Representative Adam Schiff.

 

"The most serious risk to the country, I think, is that the Russians possess compromising information," Schiff told reporters.

 

"The American people need to know that our president is acting on their behalf and not acting because he has a fear that the Russians could disclose things that would harm him or his family," he said.

 

CNN reported that Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is heading a criminal investigation at the Justice Department, also plans to look into the meeting.

 

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters that the president applauded his son's transparency in releasing the emails and viewed him as a "high-quality person," referring all other questions to Trump's and his son's lawyers.

 

Vice President Mike Pence, who has said that the campaign had no contacts with Russia, said through a spokesman that he was not aware of the meeting, which took place before he became Trump's running mate later that summer.

 

Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is at times harshly critical of Trump, told reporters: "This is very problematic. We cannot allow foreign governments to reach out to anybody's campaign and say 'we'd like to help you.'"

 

(Reporting by David Alexander, Yara Bayoumy, Doina Chiacu, Susan Heavey, Arshad Mohammed, Warren Strobel and Patricia Zengerle; Additional reporting by Maria Tsvetkova, Denis Pinchuk and Svetlana Reiter in Moscow, Mark Hosenball in London and Lindsey Kortyka in New York; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Tom Brown and Jonathan Oatis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-07-12

[FritsSikkink]

Waiting for the Trump apologists:

but Hillary

fake news

nothing wrong with that.

[sirineou]

After all the denying , the "it could have being a guy in his basement"  the " it could had being the Russians, it could had being  an other country" .

At the very least they were lying.

Now I hear that Trump did not know about it.

They mean to tell as that the son was approached by the Russian government with an offer to help them win the  Presidency, then someone was helping them win the presidency and all the intelligence agencies said it was the Russians, But the son never said anything about his meeting to his father.

Anyone with half a brain................

[craigt3365]

Yes, it will be hard for the Trump supporters to defend this one.  Even Sarah Huckabee Sanders backed off and deferred questions to The Junior's lawyers.  Zero spin.  The noose tightens.

 

In a documented email to Trump Jr from Goldstone:

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/07/11/politics/trump-jr-russia-lawyer-emails/index.html

 

Quote

"This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government's support for Mr. Trump," Goldstone wrote in the email to Trump Jr.

 

"If it's what you say I love it," Trump Jr. replied, according to the email he released.

Got ya.

[darksidedog]

After all the denials some of the truth is now being revealed. I wonder what else is going to be uncovered. Plausible deniability could end up getting stretched even thinner than it is now.

[klauskunkel]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

"The Crown prosecutor of Russia ... offered to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father," Goldstone wrote Trump Jr. on June 3. Russia does not have a "crown prosecutor;" the equivalent title is prosecutor general.

 

The label "dumbass" is not an assessment of your specialized intellect, it is an assessment of your total being. When you surround yourself with dumbasses who are constantly complimenting you on your dumbassness you will welcome any new dumbass presenting you with a dumbass idea. Trump Jr., you are your Father's son.

[stevenl]

Where are the Trump fans complaining about biased reporting?

 

" "If it's what you say I love it," Trump Jr. responded." and in the headline the very, very tame 'suggests'. This is clear proof the Trump team welcomed Russian help against the Clinton campaign.

 

[kamahele]

I wonder what happens when / if it is proven that Trump's election and presidency is illegitimate. Can the administration as a whole be nullified? Wishful thinking?

[stevenl]

8 minutes ago, kamahele said:

I wonder what happens when / if it is proven that Trump's election and presidency is illegitimate. Can the administration as a whole be nullified? Wishful thinking?

Never going to happen.

[pmarlin]

No law was broken, next.

[craigt3365]

20 minutes ago, pmarlin said:

No law was broken, next.

That's yet to be determined.  Perjury is a big deal and has serious consequences.

[Berkshire]

15 minutes ago, pmarlin said:

No law was broken, next.

Not so sure about that....

 

[Federal election law prohibits anyone from soliciting any contribution to a campaign from a foreign individual or entity – not just monetary donations, but "anything of value."

"Solicitation" can include conversations that are spoken or written, that are direct or indirect, and which contain "a clear message asking, requesting or recommending that another person make a contribution, donation, transfer of funds, or otherwise provide anything of value."]

 

https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2017-07-11/did-donald-trump-jr-break-the-law-experts-weigh-in

 

I doubt Jr. will be prosecuted, but this does demonstrate intent.  It's like if you met with a hitman who happens to be an undercover agent, with the intent of whacking your wife.  The fact that your wife didn't get whacked won't get you off.

[ilostmypassword]

12 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

That's yet to be determined.  Perjury is a big deal and has serious consequences.

You can only commit perjury when in a trial or appearing before a grand jury.  If he was questioned by the FBI and denied certain things, then he would be liable to prosecution for obstruction of justice. But I don't know if that's the case.

[craigt3365]

Just now, ilostmypassword said:

You can only commit perjury when in a trial or appearing before a grand jury.  If he was questioned by the FBI and denied certain things, then he would be liable to prosecution for obstruction of justice. But I don't know if that's the case.

You can also commit perjury when filling out security forums.  Etc.  A lot of what these guys do isn't public knowledge.  The panel will be looking into this big time.

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/07/11/politics/trump-jr-legal-problems/index.html

Quote

Legal analysts also raise the possibility of perjury, for example, if Trump Jr. or anyone else involved earlier denied any Russian meeting to federal investigators. Anyone who made a false statement to federal investigators about the meeting, including a material omission on government personnel paperwork, could be in serious jeopardy.

........

He added that for federal investigators, the larger issue could be whether laws were broken in subsequent misstatements or refusals to acknowledge the existence of the meeting.

The last part we already know is true.  They've all been denying this for a long time.

[ilostmypassword]

15 minutes ago, craigt3365 said:

You can also commit perjury when filling out security forums.  Etc.  A lot of what these guys do isn't public knowledge.  The panel will be looking into this big time.

 

 

I looked at the following link and it says it the crime of false statements - not perjury.

https://sidebarsblog.com/false-statements-lying-security-clearance-form/

So I'm not sure about that. Still thanks for raising the point. I got to learn something.

After I wrote this, I decided to do what I should have thought of in the first place and look ir up: "the act or crime of knowingly making a false statement (as about a material matter) while under oath or bound by an affirmation or other officially prescribed declaration that what one says, writes, or claims is  up the definition.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perjury

So it looks like you were right and I was wrong.

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by ilostmypassword

[maewang99]

once it became clear what Putin's circle was doing (which only we are allowed to do, of course).... they had an even bigger stake in getting Trump elected.... so they took it even farther. too far.

this isn't going to be a 'nothing' as Jr. tries to convince us.

and it ain't the media making a big deal... this is very political, of course it is.


 

Edited July 12, 2017 by maewang99

[blazes]

I never cease to be amazed at the hysteria in the USA about all things Russian.  Takes me back to the good old Cold War days.

In WW1 the British banned the playing of Beethoven cos he was a Kraut.

Soon the Yanks will be banning Tchaikovsky.

 

 

Edited July 12, 2017 by blazes

[blazes]

PS:  I notice nobody is commenting on what exactly Clinton was up to that the Russians thought worthy of investigation.   Was she going to offer a major arms deal?  Was she promising to invade Crimea?

[Berkshire]

5 minutes ago, blazes said:

PS:  I notice nobody is commenting on what exactly Clinton was up to that the Russians thought worthy of investigation.   Was she going to offer a major arms deal?  Was she promising to invade Crimea?

Classic Trump minion comment...makes no sense.  The Russian lawyer had nothing.  Don't you read the news?

[blazes]

1 minute ago, Berkshire said:

Classic Trump minion comment...makes no sense.  The Russian lawyer had nothing.  Don't you read the news?

Yes, as an obedient minion, I do read the news (eg the whole email exchange) and, despite being a minion, I saw nothing that warranted all the hysteria.  Why are people like you so angry?  What gives?

[Neurath]

Lock him up,  lock him up.

[Berkshire]

5 minutes ago, blazes said:

Yes, as an obedient minion, I do read the news (eg the whole email exchange) and, despite being a minion, I saw nothing that warranted all the hysteria.  Why are people like you so angry?  What gives?

I'm not angry, mostly because I'm in Thailand.  But I do hate the idea of a fake President destroying America from within. 

 

As for this Trump Jr. story and why it's potentially a big deal, it's already been discussed ad nauseam here and elsewhere.  See my post #12.

Edited July 12, 2017 by Berkshire

[blazes]

1 minute ago, Berkshire said:

I'm not angry, mostly because I'm in Thailand.  But I do hate the idea of a fake President destroying America from within. 

 

As for this Trump Jr. story and why it's potentially a big deal, it's already been discussed ad nauseam here and elsewhere. 

 

A president has that much power?  America is perfectly capable  of destroying itself from within (and without, as Vietnam demonstrated).

[JHolmesJr]

3 hours ago, Berkshire said:

[Federal election law prohibits anyone from soliciting any contribution to a campaign from a foreign individual or entity – not just monetary donations, but "anything of value."

well…there you have it….good luck proving anything of value.

[ilostmypassword]

1 minute ago, blazes said:

 

A president has that much power?  America is perfectly capable  of destroying itself from within (and without, as Vietnam demonstrated).

You mean the war the Lyndon Johnson launched? Last time I checked, he was President of the United States.

[Berkshire]

1 minute ago, blazes said:

 

A president has that much power?  America is perfectly capable  of destroying itself from within (and without, as Vietnam demonstrated).

Why do you think many say the POTUS is the most powerful man in the world?  Unfortunately, that title now belongs to Vladimir Putin.  Thanks Trump!

[Berkshire]

3 minutes ago, JHolmesJr said:

well…there you have it….good luck proving anything of value.

I didn't write that law, but I'd guess that hacked e-mails might be considered something "of value"....for example.

[rudi49jr]

During the campaign of his father, junior's nickname was Fredo. Need I say more? 

[Morch]

4 hours ago, kamahele said:

I wonder what happens when / if it is proven that Trump's election and presidency is illegitimate. Can the administration as a whole be nullified? Wishful thinking?

As another poster opined, unlikely this will happen.

 

But wishful thinking? Only if you're in Putin's corner. Having Trump impeached, resigning or stepping away from the presidency is one thing. The US been there, done that and survived. Nullifying the election is a whole different ball game. It implies way deeper issues with the system. And while there's no denying that such issues exist - there are different ways of acknowledging them and correcting them. Considering the current political climate, there's little chance these could be properly addressed at the same time.

 

If the US is to pull itself out of its troubled political divide, it will not be served by overly alienating, antagonizing and marginalizing people. Trump's term coming to an early end is one thing, which will be mostly opposed by his base support, while nullifying the elections will be met with wider resistance. I'm not arguing the merits of Trump's campaign or belittling the Russian intervention effort. Just saying that bring-it-all-down solutions might have problematic consequences and effects.

[JHolmesJr]

5 hours ago, kamahele said:

I wonder what happens when / if it is proven that Trump's election and presidency is illegitimate. Can the administration as a whole be nullified? Wishful thinking?

If you're asking, in a round about way, is hillary clinton going to be president, the answer is NEVER.